Philosophy Articles - Inquiries Journalhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/topic/42/philosophy
Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines.en-usSat, 25 May 2019 11:27:31 -0400Sat, 25 May 2019 11:27:31 -0400Debating Space Through the Göttingen Review: Why Kant's Transcendental Ideality of Space Exceeds Berkeley's Subjective Idealist Interpretationhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1718/debating-space-through-the-gand#246;ttingen-review-why-kants-transcendental-ideality-of-space-exceeds-berkeleys-subjective-idealist-interpretation
By Rocco A. Astore - It is not often that one questions the nature of space, in fact, most people understand extension as independent of their mind as well as the objects that appear in their surrounding world. However, in a radical twist, fitting for the revolutionary epoch of the Enlightenment, K&ouml;nigsberg scholar, philosopher Immanuel Kant forwarded a strikingly new hypothesis. To Kant, although the representations of objects rely on space for their subsistence, minds are independent of it, since they alone impose space onto the world of appearance. Despite his view not being readily defendable by all his peers...Tue, 09 Jan 2018 04:25 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1718/debating-space-through-the-gand#246;ttingen-review-why-kants-transcendental-ideality-of-space-exceeds-berkeleys-subjective-idealist-interpretationPederasty and Power in Plato's Mythological Dialogueshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1665/pederasty-and-power-in-platos-mythological-dialogues
By Paul Regan - As a topic of philosophical interest the Socratic dialogues play a pivotal role in many of Plato&rsquo;s works of more than thirty authentic dialogues. This paper discusses pederasty and power through myth and story-telling to teach Ancient Greek communities about the soul, morality and character through three of Plato&rsquo;s mythological dialogues on Socrates: Symposium, Phaedrus and the Republic. Each work falls within several categories of investigation, speculation and argumentation. The re-telling of a story suggests that myth offers an economical framework from which to balance the soul...Thu, 26 Oct 2017 05:18 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1665/pederasty-and-power-in-platos-mythological-dialoguesThe Value and Benefit of an Enlightened People for the Continuity of Democratic Societieshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1656/the-value-and-benefit-of-an-enlightened-people-for-the-continuity-of-democratic-societies
By Rocco A. Astore - Political philosophers and theorists alike continue to debate if more enlightened populations would be of value or not. This piece will contribute to that dispute by claiming that an enlightened populace is integral to the progress of free-societies. First, through Kant&rsquo;s political and moral philosophy this piece will outline what being a free or enlightened person truly involves. Next, by drawing from Rousseau&rsquo;s On the Social Contract, this essay will describe his vision of a citizen and how one can understand it as the political equivalent of what Kant would call an enlightened member...Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:34 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1656/the-value-and-benefit-of-an-enlightened-people-for-the-continuity-of-democratic-societiesJohn Rawls' Primary Goods Approach to Justice: An Analysis of Indexing Problemshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1652/john-rawls-primary-goods-approach-to-justice-an-analysis-of-indexing-problems
By Rhidoy Rashid - There has been extensive debate over the past few decades regarding the criteria by which we should measure distributive justice. In conceiving a just state of affairs it is imperative that we determine the most appropriate measure of the distributions we are evaluating. Different approaches have their own merits, and range from evaluations of the distribution of happiness, to that of wealth, to that of life prospects. John Rawls and fellow Rawlsians believe that primary goods are most representative of citizens&rsquo; fundamental interests. According to Rawls (1999: 54), primary goods are those...Fri, 14 Jul 2017 05:46 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1652/john-rawls-primary-goods-approach-to-justice-an-analysis-of-indexing-problemsThe Psyscholinguistic Semiotics and Metanormative Ethics of Suicide and Death in Shakespeare's "King Lear"http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1641/the-psyscholinguistic-semiotics-and-metanormative-ethics-of-suicide-and-death-in-shakespeares-king-lear
By Conner R. Hayes - The fascination with death and the sensationalizing of suicide are prevalent metaphysical themes which traverse all Shakespearean tragedy. These brooding themes, despite their ubiquitous portrayal, take on an idiosyncratic ethical meaning in King Lear. Though naturally nihilistic and bleak, these sentiments serve as more than mere evidence of the existential longing plaguing the psyches of many of Shakespeare&rsquo;s characters. The yearning to die, and moreover, one&rsquo;s ability to die, explicates the very metaethical framework and normative ethical epistemology of the play. The characters...Tue, 02 May 2017 12:30 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1641/the-psyscholinguistic-semiotics-and-metanormative-ethics-of-suicide-and-death-in-shakespeares-king-learDoes Essence Precede Existence? A Look at Camus's Metaphysical Rebellionhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1639/does-essence-precede-existence-a-look-at-camuss-metaphysical-rebellion
By Scot N. DuFour - Albert Camus lived during a tumultuous time that included his experience of World War II and the Algerian War. Camus is most prominently known as an author of fine French literature but he was also a philosopher. While it is debatable whether Camus was an existentialist, a label he personally disliked, his analysis of rebellion in his work The Rebel serves as a relevant argument for the establishment of an ethic based on metaphysical rebellion. Camus faced and was witness to great oppression throughout his lifetime so it is no surprise that he wrote about rebellion. Camus was personally part of...Mon, 01 May 2017 10:41 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1639/does-essence-precede-existence-a-look-at-camuss-metaphysical-rebellionThe Fundamental Illegitimacy of Facism and the Innate Desire for Freedomhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1628/the-fundamental-illegitimacy-of-facism-and-the-innate-desire-for-freedom
By Rocco A. Astore - This piece examines the ideologies and tactics used by fascist governments to validate and enforce their authority through Michael Mann&rsquo;s work Fascists. By explicating Kant&rsquo;s view of autonomy and progress, found in &ldquo;An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?&rdquo; and Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, it is demonstrated that people are fundamentally progressive beings with innate capacities for freedom. Moreover, explaining J.S. Mill&rsquo;s view of the innate progressiveness and value of individuality in On Liberty, it is asserted that fascist demands of obedience...Thu, 27 Apr 2017 10:24 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1628/the-fundamental-illegitimacy-of-facism-and-the-innate-desire-for-freedomThe Purposive Power of Natural Theology: On Moser and the Christian Apologeticshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1626/the-purposive-power-of-natural-theology-on-moser-and-the-christian-apologetics
By Jimmy R. Lewis - In recent years there has been quite a bit of talk in philosophy of religion regarding how relevant and how purposive natural theology is, especially in comparison with experiential evidence. One major proponent of this recent skepticism in relation to natural theology is Paul K. Moser. Moser believes that natural theology may in fact be a satisfactory means to arriving at theism, but not to personal theism. This is problematic for Moser, because he believes that the goal of Christian apologetics ought to be to convince people not only of the existence of a divine being, but also that the divine...Fri, 14 Apr 2017 08:32 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1626/the-purposive-power-of-natural-theology-on-moser-and-the-christian-apologeticsAntonio Gramsci, Hegemony, and the Greek Crisis: Building New Hegemony to Supersede Neoliberal Discoursehttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1624/antonio-gramsci-hegemony-and-the-greek-crisis-building-new-hegemony-to-supersede-neoliberal-discourse
By Carter Vance - Antonio Gramsci&rsquo;s interpretation and analysis of &ldquo;hegemony,&rdquo; its mechanisms, causes and consequences for the Left, is fundamentally an attempt to grapple with how culture and the &ldquo;common sense of the epoch&rdquo; (Miliband, 1990) grow out of class society and impose their ontological structure on even those whose interests it opposes. Given the continued existence and deepening of class divisions in the 21st century, an understanding of Gramsci&rsquo;s work may be even more of a critical project for the Left now than when it was first written. The terrain on which political...Mon, 10 Apr 2017 11:23 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1624/antonio-gramsci-hegemony-and-the-greek-crisis-building-new-hegemony-to-supersede-neoliberal-discourseThe Rebel Hero: Albert Camus and the Search for Meaning Amidst the Absurdhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1609/the-rebel-hero-albert-camus-and-the-search-for-meaning-amidst-the-absurd
By Meghan E. Von Hassel - Man in his search for meaning&mdash;everyman&mdash; is Albert Camus&rsquo; rebel. In The Rebel man must accept and seek to encounter the universe as it presents itself in absurdity. He encounters the universe out of a strange love and a need for something in which he can place his hope: &ldquo;a moment comes when the creation ceases to be taken tragically; it is merely taken seriously. Then man is concerned with hope.&rdquo;[1] Rebellion in the face of absurdity finds hope in the beauty of solidarity which is rooted in the dignity of man, namely, that there is value in human life. In the darkness...Tue, 04 Apr 2017 02:05 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1609/the-rebel-hero-albert-camus-and-the-search-for-meaning-amidst-the-absurdTheistic Explanations of the Ontology of Consciousnesshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1629/theistic-explanations-of-the-ontology-of-consciousness
By Rashad Rehman - Consciousness is a thought-provoking phenomenon. In recent decades, though, the philosophy of mind has revealed consciousness to be, in the words of Thomas Nagel, "what makes the mindbody problem intractable" (Nagel, 1979). Though consciousness has made the mind-body problem seemingly intractable, to some philosophers, fi nite and irreducibly subjective conscious experiences call for an explanation (Locke, 1959). It seems to some that a scientific explanation will not and cannot provide an adequate explanation for the existence of consciousness. Although this is controversial, the important natural...Sat, 01 Apr 2017 12:00 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1629/theistic-explanations-of-the-ontology-of-consciousnessLowering Restrictions on Performance Enhancing Drugs in Elite Sportshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1590/lowering-restrictions-on-performance-enhancing-drugs-in-elite-sports
By Rory W. Collins - This article argues that performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) ought to be allowed across all elite sporting competitions for athletes over the age of 16 so long as consuming them does not pose a significant risk to their health. I begin with a brief explanation of the current state of PED use in professional sports before assessing the prospect of allowing PEDs by three widely-accepted (though far from comprehensive) measures of ethical merit: well-being, autonomy, and justice. I end with a critique of the World Anti-Doping Agency's criteria for banning PEDs, concluding that allowing athletes to...Fri, 24 Mar 2017 09:28 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1590/lowering-restrictions-on-performance-enhancing-drugs-in-elite-sportsThe Telos of History as Understood by Hegelhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1569/the-telos-of-history-as-understood-by-hegel
By Rocco A. Astore - Is there a goal or purpose to history? And if so, how is one to determine its starting point, the ways in which it develops, and how it achieves its aim? Luckily, one philosopher, Hegel, analyzed history philosophically and tried to answer these very same questions. The purpose of this piece is to first investigate Hegel&rsquo;s understanding of history, its inceptions, its progression, and its goal. Next, by demonstrating how history&rsquo;s goal is already a conceptual reality, despite the phenomena of its advancement, I will argue that Hegel believes that the telos or finality inherent to the...Mon, 13 Mar 2017 12:15 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1569/the-telos-of-history-as-understood-by-hegelThe Value of Reason in the Stoic Philosophies of Epictetus and Aureliushttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1547/the-value-of-reason-in-the-stoic-philosophies-of-epictetus-and-aurelius
By Rocco A. Astore - Philosophers have long debated the meaning of virtuousness and the role that reason plays in achieving it. According to the Stoic philosophers Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, virtue comes through a proper understanding of nature, its processes, as well as one&rsquo;s place in it. This piece will first explicate Epictetus&rsquo; and Aurelius&rsquo; views concerning nature, its workings, and the role that reason plays in it. Next, I will explicate both of their views on what one can do to garner rationality, through their shared brand of Stoicism. Finally, I will argue that the ability people have...Wed, 01 Mar 2017 12:23 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1547/the-value-of-reason-in-the-stoic-philosophies-of-epictetus-and-aurelius"It's a Wise Child:" A Levinasian Analysis of J. D. Salinger's Glass Family Storieshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1501/its-a-wise-child-a-levinasian-analysis-of-j-d-salingers-glass-family-stories
By Nivetha Nagarajan - J. D. Salinger is a household name in America, but relatively few people know of his Glass family characters. Seven impossibly bright and witty adult siblings and their parents populate his later work, from their first appearance in the short story &ldquo;A Perfect Day for Bananafish&rdquo; that appeared in The New Yorker in 1948, to their last in &ldquo;Hapworth 16, 1924&rdquo; in the same publication in 1965. The Glass siblings are unique in that they have an eccentric family culture centered around religion and philosophy. All seven of them were precocious geniuses as children and were featured...Wed, 30 Nov 2016 11:55 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1501/its-a-wise-child-a-levinasian-analysis-of-j-d-salingers-glass-family-storiesWas Spinoza a Kabbalist? The Influence of Jewish Mysticism in Book I of "Ethics"http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1499/was-spinoza-a-kabbalist-the-influence-of-jewish-mysticism-in-book-i-of-ethics
By Rocco A. Astore - Throughout philosophy&rsquo;s history, some of its most prominent thinkers have drawn inspiration from sources outside of its canon. It is of my opinion that one of these philosophers, Spinoza, in the first book of his Ethics, borrowed elements of the Kabbalah, to portray his image of God. The first purpose of this piece is to explicate Spinoza&rsquo;s understanding of God, or Nature so that the reader can assess and become familiarized with his views. Next, by using Daniel C. Matt&rsquo;s The Essential Kabbalah, the Heart of Jewish Mysticism, I will hope to convey a general idea of the Kabbalist...Wed, 23 Nov 2016 09:07 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1499/was-spinoza-a-kabbalist-the-influence-of-jewish-mysticism-in-book-i-of-ethicsConsumption as Postmodern Ideology in Chinahttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1497/consumption-as-postmodern-ideology-in-china
By Christopher E. Barnett - Jean Baudrillard makes the argument that in a postmodern globalized world, in which competing utopian metanarratives from both sides of the political spectrum have been exposed as failures, society is no longer constructed or ordered through common political ideology. The phenomenon has spread globally to nearly every modern city. Individuals no longer subscribe to the exposed metanarratives like liberalism or communism, and are instead consumed by consumerism. Hypersaturated by media that promotes consumerism, individuals are also incessantly distracted, tempted by advertisements, &ldquo;news...Thu, 17 Nov 2016 03:43 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1497/consumption-as-postmodern-ideology-in-chinaIntellectual Responsibility and the Epistemic Search: Comparing Plato and Augustinehttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1481/intellectual-responsibility-and-the-epistemic-search-comparing-plato-and-augustine
By Leah M. Palmer - In the earliest stages of education, children naturally start to interrogate their elders with the question &ldquo;why?&rdquo; This is not surprising and it would often even be concerning if a child did not show signs of curiosity early in life. This natural curiosity, the search for knowledge, follows necessarily from man&rsquo;s rational nature&mdash;the pride and joy of humanity&mdash;what sets us apart from the animals. The words, &ldquo;All men desire to know&rdquo; (Arist. Meta., 1.980a) have become a cornerstone for explaining the nature of humanity. Epistemology takes this desire to its...Mon, 31 Oct 2016 09:25 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1481/intellectual-responsibility-and-the-epistemic-search-comparing-plato-and-augustineThe Technological Abyss: Heideggerian Ontology and Climate Changehttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1559/the-technological-abyss-heideggerian-ontology-and-climate-change
By Aaron Mazo - Whenever a decision is made in a social, political, or economic context, it is implicitly grounded in an ethical outlook. But where do these outlooks come from? To investigate this query, I examine the basis for ethical decisions regarding technology, focusing specifically on geoengineering responses to climate change. Subsequently, I argue that ethical considerations concerning climate change, and their corresponding practical decisions, cannot be reliably made without sufficient intelligibility regarding the objects and entities these decisions pertain to. To achieve this, I employ a Heideggerian...Sun, 30 Oct 2016 12:00 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1559/the-technological-abyss-heideggerian-ontology-and-climate-changeCan Marxist Thought Successfully Accommodate Radical Feminism?http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1462/can-marxist-thought-successfully-accommodate-radical-feminism
By Bohdana Kurylo - The relationship between feminism and socialism is extremely intimate but also immensely intricate. According to feminist poet Adrienne Rich (1977, p. 285), &lsquo;the repossession by women of our bodies will bring far more essential change to human society than the seizing of the means of production by workers. Indeed, it is work that has a special significance in the socialist tradition, playing a key role in making people who they are and shaping social relations. In the capitalist world, class becomes its structure, production its aim, and alienation its consequence. In the alternative world...Tue, 18 Oct 2016 04:20 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1462/can-marxist-thought-successfully-accommodate-radical-feminismNagarjuna's Idealism as a Metaphysical Justification Against Ignorancehttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1426/nagarjunas-idealism-as-a-metaphysical-justification-against-ignorance
By Rocco A. Astore - The revered Madhyamika Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna is a central figure in the history of Eastern thought. In his Seventy Stanzas, Nagarjuna shares his views on many eternal questions including inquiries into what it means to have a proper understanding of the mind and the objects that it perceives. Though counterintuitive, he believes that one should regard all objects as being ultimately immaterial because if objects were not ideational, one&rsquo;s immaterial mind would not be able to perceive them (1). Nagarjuna&rsquo;s view derives from his belief that the mind is an immaterial sense organ...Tue, 28 Jun 2016 06:58 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1426/nagarjunas-idealism-as-a-metaphysical-justification-against-ignorancePlotinus' Ontology and the Problem of Matterhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1387/plotinus-ontology-and-the-problem-of-matter
By Rocco A. Astore - Within The Enneads, Plotinus claims all existence derives from an entirely immaterial and benevolent source which he calls the One.[1] At the same time, he also states matter corrupts that which is immaterial, and one should not understand it as being good.[2] Therefore, how can one state that Plotinus is being consistent when he claims that all things derive from an all-good One, yet bodies are defective in nature? With this piece, I will first describe Plotinus&rsquo; understanding of the One. Next, I will state his notions concerning the nature of souls and bodies. I will then state his views...Wed, 30 Mar 2016 04:14 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1387/plotinus-ontology-and-the-problem-of-matterAdam Smith and Religious Plurality in Americahttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1380/adam-smith-and-religious-plurality-in-america
By Drew Liquerman - Smith's writings, most importantly An Enquiry into the Wealth of Nations,[1] greatly influenced James Madison in his thoughts on the disestablishment of religion as espoused in Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments (Remonstrance),[2] in the Federalist Papers (specifically #10 and #51), and in the First Amendment&rsquo;s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. Due in part to Smith&rsquo;s influence on Madison, our country was founded on the principles of separation of church and state and religious liberty, which has led to the flourishing and acceptance of a multitude of religious...Mon, 21 Mar 2016 10:14 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1380/adam-smith-and-religious-plurality-in-americaUnderstanding "Nirvana" in Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism: In Support of Nagarjuna's Mahayana Perspectivehttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1370/understanding-nirvana-in-theravada-and-mahayana-buddhism-in-support-of-nagarjunas-mahayana-perspective
By Rocco A. Astore - The path towards and the meaning of Nirvana have been central issues to many theorists of the Buddhist Tradition. With this paper, I will describe the path toward and the state of Nirvana from a Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist perspective. By doing so, I hope to show that Mahayana Buddhism&rsquo;s view of Nirvana, or the altruistic compassion that results from one&rsquo;s spiritual flawlessness in this life, outdoes the Theravada belief that once a person reaches Nirvana any facet of the human condition can no longer phase them.[1] Finally, by drawing on the writings of Nagarjuna, I argue that...Thu, 25 Feb 2016 02:41 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1370/understanding-nirvana-in-theravada-and-mahayana-buddhism-in-support-of-nagarjunas-mahayana-perspectiveExamining Free-Will Through Spinoza and Descarteshttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1354/examining-free-will-through-spinoza-and-descartes
By Rocco A. Astore - According to Spinoza, for something to be entirely free it must be uncompelled in all ways and also the cause of itself.[1] Furthermore, because he believes that there is only one substance that causes itself, which is God, or Nature, and since he states it is uncompelled due to its existence being identical to its essence, it follows that due to its essence being of a self-determined nature, it by necessity exists without being dependent on any other being.[2] Also, since God is uncompelled, all things that derive from it are modes of its attributes and are not to be understood as being at the...Sun, 14 Feb 2016 03:53 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1354/examining-free-will-through-spinoza-and-descartesComparing the Political Theories of Lao Tzu and Machiavelli: Arguments in Favor of Political Rights and Fair Leadershiphttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1338/comparing-the-political-theories-of-lao-tzu-and-machiavelli-arguments-in-favor-of-political-rights-and-fair-leadership
By Rocco A. Astore - Within Lao Tzu&rsquo;s Tao-Teh-Ching and Machiavelli&rsquo;s The Prince, there are similar notions concerning how a ruler should maintain order and how he/she can be an effective leader. According to the former, it is best if people are blind to the operations of the state, so that they may always be in awe of their sovereign, much like the latter&rsquo;s reasons to conclude that it is safer for a prince to be feared instead of loved.[1] With this essay, I explore how Lao Tzu&rsquo;s and Machiavelli&rsquo;s political theories are alike, by explicating their ideas concerning the ways in which a...Mon, 25 Jan 2016 10:40 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1338/comparing-the-political-theories-of-lao-tzu-and-machiavelli-arguments-in-favor-of-political-rights-and-fair-leadershipHans Jonas' Critique of the Modern Concept of Causalityhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1327/hans-jonas-critique-of-the-modern-concept-of-causality
By Joao B. Farias Junior - Hans Jonas main objective in his book The phenomenon of life is to offer an interpretation of the phenomenon of Being that is neither conditioned to dualism nor to a partial conception of being, such as those developed by idealism and by materialism. This essay presents some considerations concerning the Jonasian critique of the concept of causality as formulated by Kant and by Hume. After all, Jonas maintains that, because his ontology is based in the organic phenomenon of life, it requires a revision of what one understands as causality. The senses, or rather, the body that senses itself, is...Fri, 15 Jan 2016 02:36 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1327/hans-jonas-critique-of-the-modern-concept-of-causalityVirtue Ethics and its Potential as the Leading Moral Theoryhttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1385/virtue-ethics-and-its-potential-as-the-leading-moral-theory
By Alexandra M. Sakellariouv - There has been a modern revival of interest in virtue ethics as a plausible moral theory. There has been dissatisfaction with the way many modern moral theories emphasize moral obligation and law at the expense, some argue, of the individual (Slote, 1997, p. 175). Hence, virtue ethics now stands as one of the leading moral theories in ethics. This paper will explore the potential of virtue ethics as a plausible moral theory. It will begin by explaining the main arguments of a virtue ethical approach and the advantages it has over other moral theories. It will then go on to discuss three of the...Thu, 03 Dec 2015 12:00 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1385/virtue-ethics-and-its-potential-as-the-leading-moral-theoryJohn Stuart Mill's Solution to the Problem of Socrates in the "Autobiography"http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1310/john-stuart-mills-solution-to-the-problem-of-socrates-in-the-autobiography
By N L. N - Ever since its posthumous publication, John Stuart Mill&rsquo;s Autobiography has elicited reactions of primarily disappointment and confusion. Thomas Carlyle famously deemed the book the &ldquo;autobiography of a steam-engine&rdquo; (quoted in Levi 295) and readers since have generally agreed with his verdict. Leslie Stephen and Harold Laski argue that Mill&rsquo;s Autobiography is &ldquo;severely deficient,&rdquo; (Levi 284) on account of its mechanical and emotionally sterile prose and its complete lack of details about any aspects of Mill&rsquo;s life which are not obviously relevant to his...Mon, 16 Nov 2015 08:02 ESThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1310/john-stuart-mills-solution-to-the-problem-of-socrates-in-the-autobiographyKant and Mill on Physician-Assisted Suicidehttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1183/kant-and-mill-on-physician-assisted-suicide
By Anna Kozlova - In Diane&rsquo;s case, this maxim would be that, &ldquo;If I suffer in indignity, I should end my own life.&rdquo; If that were to be adopted, nobody on this earth would remain alive due to the every-day struggles we all face. This is a particularly strong maxim to disobey, as it is considered a perfect duty to oneself, due to the fact that it is without exception, and not influenced by personal inclinations, as imperfect duties may be (Kant, 1964, p. 29). Additionally, Kant has countered the case for suicide by disagreeing that the act of killing oneself can come from self-love. As Kant explains...Tue, 29 Sep 2015 11:02 EDThttp://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1183/kant-and-mill-on-physician-assisted-suicide